1.20. Verbele modale (Modal Verbs) 1.20.1. Verbele modale exprim atitudinea vorbitorului fa de enun, aciunea din cadrul acestuia fiind vzut ca posibil, probabil, necesar, obligatorie, de dorit etc.: It might rain later. S-a putea s plou mai trziu. You must meet him at the station. Trebuie s-l atepi la gar. Din punct de vedere al caracteristicilor formale, verbele modale englezeti se mpart n: 1) verbe noionale exprimnd modalitatea (want, wish, order, oblige, advise, intend, mean, prefer, etc.) care se comport ca celelalte verbe noionale: He wants to see the play. Vrea s vad piesa. Dont oblige him to do this. Nu-l obliga s fac asta. 2) verbe modale defective (Defective Modal Verbs) (can/could, may/might, must, have to, shall/should, will/would, ought to, be to, used to, need, dare), care exprim de asemenea modalitatea, dar care din punct de vedere formal, prezint anumite caracteristici. Not: Termenul de verbe modale folosit pe parcursul lucrrii se refer la verbele modale defective. 1.20.2. Caracteristicile verbelor modale. Verbele modale au urmtoarele caracterisitici: a) sunt defective, adic le lipsesc anumite forme verbale. n consecin, nu pot fi conjugate la toate modurile i timpurile. Formele pe care le au verbele modale pot fi folosite pentru redarea mai multor timpuri i moduri. Can, may, must, need i dare, de exemplu, exprim indicativul prezent: I can help you. Dac ele sunt ns urmate de un adverb de timp viitor, aciunea exprimat de verbul la infinitiv se refer la un moment viitor: I can only help you next week. Am s te pot ajuta abia sptmna viitoare. Formele aparent trecute ale verbelor modale au valori: - de Past Tense, condiional i subjonctiv (could, would, might): I could skate when I was a child. tiam s patinez cnd eram copil. I could help you if you wanted me to. A putea s te ajut dac ai dori. She lent him the camera so that he could take photos on the trip. I-am mprumutat aparatul de fotografiat ca s fac fotografii n excursie. Not: Might poate fi folosit cu valoare de Past Tense doar n vorbirea indirect: She said you might go. - de condiional i subjonctiv (should): I should like to come tomorrow if you dont mind. A dori s vin mine, dac nu te deranjeaz. He demanded we should come the next day. A cerut s venim a doua zi. - la unele forme care le lipsesc, verbele modale sunt nlocuite de perifraze modale, de anumite construcii cu sens modal (Modal Equivalents): can - be able to; must - have to; may - be allowed to/permitted to: Present: You may go now. Poi / Ai voie s pleci acum. Past Tense: He was allowed go to. I s-a permis / dat voie s plece. Past Perfect: He had been allowed to go out and play before they left. I se permisese s ias afar s se joace nainte ca ei s plece.

b) nu primesc s la persoana a III-a singular (cu excepia lui be to i have to): He must see this play. Trebuie s vad aceast pies. c) formeaz interogativul i negativul fr ajutorul auxiliarului do/did (cu excepia lui have to): Must you do this ? Trebuie s faci asta ? She cannot swim. Nu tie s noate, dar: Do you have to type that report ? Trebuie s dactilografiezi raportul ? d) sunt urmate de infinitivul scurt al verbelor noionale (cu excepia lui be to, have to, ought to): She can cook. tie s gteasc, dar: He has to get up early every day. Trebuie s se scoale devreme n fiecare zi. Cnd sunt urmate de infinitivul prezent, verbele modaqle se refer la o aciune prezent sau viitoare: He might be there now. S-ar putea ca el s fie acolo acum. She might come later. Ea s-ar putea s vin mai trziu. Cnd sunt urmate de infinitivul prezent, verbele modale se refer la o acfiune prezent sau viitoare: He might be there now. S-ar putea ca el s fie acolo acum. She might come later. ea s-ar putea s vin mai trziu. Cnd sunt urmate de infinitivul perfect, aciunea exprimat de verbul noional are un caracter trecut, de anterioritate: He might have been here before we arrived. S-ar putea s fi fost aici nainte s sosim noi. e) pe plan sintactic, verbele modale defective alctuiesc un predicat verbal compus mpreun cu un alt verb la infinitiv: You can buy a TV-set in instalments. Poi s cumperi un televizor n rate. n cadrul predicatului verbal compus, verbele modale ndeplinesc o funcie dubl: - funcia gramatical de marc a timpului: He can skate now. tie s patineze acum. He could skate when he was a child. tia s patineze cnd era copil. - funcia lexical de exprimare a modalitii: She can type. tie s bat la main. You neednt type this. Nu este nevoie s bai asta la main. 1.20.3. CAN / COULD. Can este folosit pentru toate persoanele la indicativ prezent. Could este folosit pentru toate persoanele la Past Tense i subjonctivcondiional. Can/could poate exprima: 1) capacitatea (fizic sau intelectual) de efectuare a unei aciuni: Tom can speak three foreign languages. Tom tie trei limbi strine. I could run faster than you last year. Puteam s alerg mai repede dect tine anul trecut. Not: Can urmat de un verb de percepie senzorial (see, hear etc,) corespunde aspectului continuu al verbului respectiv: I can see the car now. I can hear footsteps. Can exprimnd capacitatea fizic sau intelectual (ability) este nlocuit de be able to/be capable of/know how to: Prezent: I can ski now/I am able to ski now. (mai puin frecvent) Past Tense: I could skate when I was a child. tiam s patinez cnd eram copil. (capacitatea de a patina n general). Although it was very cold yesterday, we were able to skate for an hour. Dei a fost foarte frig ieri, am reuit s patinm o or. (capacitatea de a patina - manifestat n anumite condiii, n special nefavorabile).

Viitor: Ill be able to skate next year. Condiional: Would you be able to manage by yourself if it was necessary ? Could you manage by yourself if it was necessary ? Te-ai putea descurca singur dac ar fi nevoie ? Atenie ! Diferena de sens ntre could i was/were able to se pierde la negativ sau cu verbe de percepie: I couldnt ski yesterday as the weather was very bad. I wasnt able to ski yesterday as the weather was very bad. I couldnt see him in the dark. I wasnt able to see him in the dark. 2) Can este folosit pentru a exprima permisiunea, ca o alternativ a lui many n exprimarea familiar: A: Can I borrow your umbrella ? B: Of course you can. Pot s iau umbrela ta ? Desigur. Could este folosit pentru a exprima permisiunea n trecut: On Sundays we could stay in bed until ten oclock. Duminic aveam voie s stm n pat pn la ora 10. n acest sens, can/could poate fi nlocuit de be allowed to, be permitted to: On Sundays we were allowed to stay in bed until ten oclock. 3) Posibilitatea datorit circumstanelor se exprim astfel: Prezent: You can ski at Predeal now. There is enough snow. Past Tense: We could ski at Predeal last year. There was enough snow. Viitor: It will be possible for you to ski at Predeal, there will be plenty of snow in December. You will be able to ski at Predeal, there will be plenty of snow in December. Forme de condiional: Its foggy. The airport could be closed. If he had enough money he could buy a bicycle. 4) Can/could sunt folosite pentru a exprima: o cerere, rugminte politicoas: Can you wait a few moments ? Could este mai politicos dect can. 5) Could + infinitivul perfect este folosit pentru a exprima capacitatea nerealizat de efectuare a unei aciuni n trecut: She could have helped me. (But she didnt). Ar fi putut s m ajute. 6) Cant/couldnt + infinitivul prezent al verbului be exprim o deducie negativ despre un eveniment prezent: A: Im hungry. B: You cant be hungry. Youve just had your dinner. Cant/Couldnt + infinitivul perfect exprim o deducie negativ despre un eveniment trecut: A: Did Ann type the report ? B: She cant/couldnt have typed it. She hasnt learned to type yet. 1.20.4. MAY/MIGHT. May este folosit la toate persoanele cu valoare de indicativ prezent i viitor. Might este folosit pentru toate persoanele cu valoare de condiional i subjonctiv. Might este ntrebuinat cu valoare de Past Tense doar n vorbirea indirect. It may rain later. , he said. He said it might rain later. May este folosit:

1) pentru a cere (a) sau a acorda (b) permisiunea (mai oficial dect can): a) May I go ? Pot s plec ? b) You may go. Poi s pleci. Forma negativ de neacordare a permisiunii de may not, rar maynt: A: May I go out ? B: No, you may not. Must not (musnt) este folosit pentru a exprima interdicia, mai ales n regulamente, instruciuni: You mustnt walk on the grass. Nu clcai pe iarb. Echivalentul modal pentru exprimarea permisiunii este be allowed to / be permitted to: He was allowed to go. I s-a permis/I s-a dat voie s plece. He was permitted to go. I s-a permis/I s-a dat voie s plece. 2) May/might poate exprima o cerere, o rugminte politicoas (may este mai politicos i oficial dect can/could): May I use your phone ? mi dai voie s dau telefon ? Folosirea lui might n acest sens indic un grad de nesiguran mai mare dect may (cu privire la rspuns): Might I use your phone ? A putea s dau un telefon ? 3) May/might + infinitivul prezent exprim o posibilitate prezent sau viitoare (n sau dup momentul vorbirii): He may come today. Se poate s vin azi. He might come tomorrow. S-ar putea s vin mine. Might este folosit: a) pentru a exprima o posibilitate mai ndeprtat (s-ar putea...) b) dup un verb trecut, n vorbirea indirect: He said he might come. c) n fraze coninnd subordonate condiionale: If you shouted, he might hear you. Dac ai striga, s-ar putea s te aud. La forma interogativ i negativ, may exprimnd posibilitatea este nlocuit de construciile do you think + prezent / viitor sau be likely + infinitiv: Do you think hell come today ? Crezi c o s vin astzi ? Is he likely to come today ? Crezi c o s vin astzi ? May/might + infinitivul perfect este folosit pentru a exprima o speculaie despre o aciune trecut: He may have arrived. Se poate s fi sosit. He might have arrived. S-ar putea s fi sosit. 4) Might mai este folosit: a) n cereri insistente sau atunci cnd vorbitorul este iritat de nendeplinirea unei aciuni (might + infinitivul prezent): You might give me a copy of that paper. (Please give me a copy. Im annoyed that you havent given me one.) b) pentru a exprima iritarea, reproul n legtur cu neefectuarea unei aciuni trecute (might + infinitivul perfect): You might have told me what had happened. Ai fi putut s-mi spui ce s-a ntmplat. 1.20.5. MUST / HAVE TO / NEED. Must este folsit la toate persoanele, la indicativul prezent i viitor. Have to este folosit ca nlocuitor a lui must exprimnd obligaia, iar need este folosit cu valoare de prezent i viitor, mai ales n propoziii negative i interogative. Must se folosete pentru a exprima:

1) obligaia: They must stop because the traffic light is red now. Must exprimnd obligaia poate fi nlocuit de have to sau ve got to. HAVE TO. ntre must i have to exist urmtoarele diferene de sens: a) Must exprim o obligaie impus de ctre vorbitor, pe cnd have to exprim o obligaie impus din exterior: I must go. (Its my decision). We have to go. (The shop is closing). b) Must exprim o obligaie important, urgent: I must be at the hospotal at two. Its most important. Have to exprim o obligaie obinuit, repetat (habitual obligation): I have to be at the hospital at seven oclock every morning. I begin work ar seven. Prezent: You must stay in bed for a few days. Youve got flu. You have to stay in bed when you have flu. Past Tense: He had to stay in bed last week. He was quite ill. Viitor: You must stay in bed tomorrow if you dont feel better. Youll have to stay in bed when you feel feverish again. HAVE GOT TO n vorbirea familiar, se adaug got la have to, iar have se contrage obinndu-se Ive got/I havent got to phone her. Aceast form exprim de obicei obligaia mplinirii unei singure aciuni. Forma must not (mustnt) exprim interdicia, sau un sfat la prezent sau viitor: You must not move. You mustnt walk on the grass. You mustnt miss that film, it is very good. Lipsa obligativitii se exprim cu ajutorul lui neednt, sau not have to/not need to: You neednt come early. You dont have to come early. Forma negativ a lui have to exprim o obligaie extern sau repetat, habitual: We dont have to get up early Sundays. (We dont go to schoool on Sundays). We wont have to get up early Sundays. (We dont go to schoool on Sundays). Need poate fi folosit la mai multe timpuri (ca i not have to): Prezent: A: Need I go there now ? B: No, you neednt. A: Do I need to come every day ? B: You dont need to. Past Tense: Did you need to go there yesterday ? I didnt need to go. Viitor: You neednt/wont need to go there tomorrow. Not: n propoziiile interogative, folosirea lui need n locul lui must arat v vorbitorul se ateapt la un rspuns negativ: A: Need I wash the dishes ? (I hope not.) Atenie ! Need i neednt sunt urmate de infinitivul scurt. Celelalte forme sunt urmate de infinitivul lung: You neednt have bought two loaves of bread. Ive bought a loaf myself. Not: Need poate fi folosit i ca verb principal, nsemnnd: He needs help. Are nevoie de ajutor. Did she need the dictionary ? A avut nevoie de dicionar ? 2) Must poate exprima i deducia logic: She must be at home. She left an hour ago.

Deducia negativ se exprim cu ajutorul lui cannot/cant + infinitivul prezent al verbului to be: She left ten minutes ago, she cant be at home now. Must + infinitivul perfect exprim o deducie logic (n prezent) despre o aciune trecut: Shes got a ten in her term paper. She must have worked very hard. Deducie logic negativ se exprim cu ajutorul lui cant/couldnt + infinitivul perfect: She cant have baked this pie. She cant cook. She couldnt have baked this pie. She cant cook. n vorbirea indirect se folosete must sau have to dup caz, dup un verb declarativ la un timp trecut: She said she would have to leave early in the morning (obligaie). We thought she must be ill. Am crezut c este bolnav (deducie logic). 1.20.6. SHALL/SHOULD. Shall este folosit: 1) pentru a exprima obligaie, n stil oficial - acte, regulamente, etc. la persoana a II-a i a III-a: The seller shall supply the spare parts in due time. Vnztorul va furniza piesele de schimb n timp util. Vnztorul este obligat s furnizeze piesele de schimb n timp util. 2) Shall este folosit n propoziii interogative, la persoana I singular sau plural: a) pentru a cere un sfat, o sugestie, un ordin: Where shall we put the flowers ? Unde s punem florile ? Shall we go to the cinema tonight ? (Ce spui), mergem la cinema disear ? What shall I do ? Ce trebuie s fac ? b) pentru a face o ofert: Shall I help you ? S te ajut ? Should este folosit pentru a exprima: 1) obligaia, necesitatea logic de nfptuire a unei aciuni, de obicei sub form de sfat de ctre vorbitor: The book is very interesting. You should read it. Cartea e foarte interesant. Ar trebui s-o citeti. He shouldnt tell lies. N-ar trebui s mint. 2) o presupunere (indicnd un grad de nesiguran mai mare dect will): He should be there by now. Ar trebui s fi ajuns acolo deja. He should have left by now. Ar trebui s fi plecat deja. 3) Should este frecvent folosit n propoziiile subordonate (vezi cap. 25): a) n propoziii subiective: Its strange that he should behave like that. b) n propoziii completive directe: I suggest we should leave at once. c) n propoziii condiionate pentru a exprima o condiie mai puin probabil: If she should come, tell her to wait for me. Dac se ntmpl s vin, spune-i s m atepte. d) n propoziii de scop, n paralel cu would: She put on her sun glasses so that ne one should/would see her tears. i puse ochelarii de soare ca s nu-i vad nimeni lacrimile. e) n propoziii de scop negative, dup lest i uneori dup in case: She was afraid in case she should slip on the icy road. i era team s nu alunece pe drumul ngheat. Should + infinitivul perfect exprim nendeplinirea unei obligaii sau a unei aciuni n trecut:You should have sent her a telegram. Why didnt you ? Ar fi trebuit s-i trimii o telegram. De ce n-ai fcut-o ?

1.20.7. OUGHT TO. Ought to indic obligaia sau datoria, de obicei sub form de sfat dat de ctre vorbitor (la fel ca should): A: You ought to finish the book before going on holiday. A: Ar trebui s termini cartea nainte s pleci n vacan. B: I know I should. B: tiu c-ar trebui. Exprimarea unui sfat, a unei recomandri, sugestii, prin ought to/should este mai puin puternic dect prin must: Comparai: You should see a doctor. Ar trebui s te duci la doctor. You ought to see a doctor. Ar trebui s te duci la doctor. You must see a doctor. Trebuie s te duci la doctor. Ought to + infinitivul perfect exprim o datorie nendeplinit, o aciune care ar fi trebuit efectuat (la fel ca should): You ought to have crossed when the lights were green. You should have crossed when the lights were green. Ar fi trebuit s traversezi cnd lumina semaforului era verde. You oughtnt to have crossed when the lights were red. You shouldnt have crossed when the lights were red. N-ar fi trebuit s traversezi pe lumina roie a semaforului. Ought to/should rmne neschimbat n vorbirea indirect, dup un verb la un timp trecut.: He told me you ought to attent the conference. He told me you should attent the conference. Mi-a spus c ar trebui s vii la conferin. 1.20.8. WILL/WOULD. Will este folosit pentru a exprima: 1) o comand impersonal (similar cu must, be to): You will come here at once. Vino ncoace imediat. 2) insistena, hotrrea de a efectua o aciune: He will study chemistry whatever his father says. Va studia / este decis s studieze chimia, indiferent de prerea tatlui su. 3) o aciune repetat, un obicei al unei persoane (will frecventativ): He will sit on the bench for hours and gaze at the stars. Obinuiete s stea ore-n ir pe banc i s se uite la stele. 4) o invitaie, n propoziii interogative, la persoana a II-a: Will you have another sanwich ? Mai vrei / ia te rog un sandvi. 5) o cerere sau rugminte (pe un ton politicos, dar mai autoritar dect would): Will you sign the register ? V rog s semnai n registru. 6) o intenie spontan, nepremeditat, n momentul vorbirii la persoana I (de obicei contras n ll): A: Im thirsty. B: Ill fetch you a glass of water. A: Mi-e sete. B: S-i aduc un pahar cu ap. Will devine would sau infinitiv n vorbirea indirect, n funcie se sens: Would este folosit: 1) pentru a exprima o cerere, o rugminte politicoas: Would you do me favour ? Vrei s-mi facei un serviciu ? Would you do me a favour ? V rog s-mi facei un serviciu ? Not: Would like este de obicei folosit n locul lui want, fiind o form de exprimare mai politicoas: I would like to talk to the manager.

I want to talk to the manager. A dori s vorbesc cu directorul. Would you like to talk to him now ? Dorii cu el acum ? 2) Ca forma de Past Tense a lui will, woud este folosit pentru a exprima: a) intenia (n vorbire indirect): I said, I will help her. I said I would help her. b) intenia negativ (refuzul): Present: He wont help me. Nu vrea s m ajute. Past tense: He wouldnt help me. Nu voia s m ajute. c) insistena, hotrrea de a efectua o aciune n trecut: He would keep silent for hours, no metter what arguments I used. d) o activitate repetat, un obicei n trecut (would frecventativ): She would wait for me in front of the school gates. 3) Would este folosit i pentru a exprima probabilitatea: That would be their car. Probabil c aceea este maina lor. (Ac eeaq trebuie s fie maina lor). Atenie ! Would + rather/sooner + infinitivul scurt este folosit pentru a exprima preferina: I would rather listen to the concert than see the film. I d sooner listen to the concert than see the film. A prefera s ascult concertul dect s vd filmul. 1.20.9. USED TO. Used to este folosit doar la Past Tense, pentru a exprima: 1) o aciune repetat, un obicei trecut, care nu mai este practicat n prezent: I used to swim in the Olt river when I was a child, but I dont do this any longer. Obinuiam s not n Olt cnd eram copil, dar acum nu mai not. 2) o aciune repetat, un obicei trecut, care mai este practicat i n prezent: They used to spend their holidays in the mountains. (Its very likely they still do it.). Atenie ! 1. Used to poate fi nlocuit de would la sensul 2). Would este frecvent: They would spend their holidays in the mountains. i petreceau vacanele la munte. Obinuiau s-i petreac vacanele la munte. Atenie ! Used to nu are form la prezent. Pentru a exprima un obicei prezent, folosii prezentul simplu: I (usually) spend my holidays in the mountains. De obicei mi petrec vacanele la munte. Obinuiesc s-mi petrec vacanele la munte. 1.20.10. BE TO. Be to este folosit pentru a exprima: 1) o comand sau instruciuni ntr-un mod impersonal (de obicei la persoana a III-a): He is to stay here till we return.

Trebuie Va sta s stea aici pn ne ntoarcem. Urmeaz Va sta s stea aici pn ne ntoarcem. 2) o aciune planificat (construcie des folosit n limbajul jurnalistic): The competition is to start in a weeks time. 3) un ordin sau comand, n vorbirea indirect: He says, Wait here till I come. He says that I am to wait here till he comes. La Past Tense, be poate fi urmat: a) de un infinitiv prezent: He was to go. Urma s plece. propoziie din care nu aflm dac aciunea planificat a fost ndeplinit sau nu; b) de un infinitiv perfect, pentru a exprima o aciune plnuit dar nendeplinit: He was to have gone (but he didnt). 1.20.11. DARE. Dare se folosete cu saensul de a ndrzni, a avea curajul, n special n propoziii interogative i negative: How dare you contradict me ? Cum ndrzneti s m contrazici ? The boy dared not tell his father what he had done. Biatul n-a ndrznit s-i spun tatlui su ce a fcut. La afirmativ, dare se conjug ca un verb principal: Prezent: dare, dares; Past Tense: dared. La negativ i interogativ, dare poate fi conjugat ca un verb noional sau ca un verb modal: Dare he speak ? ndrznete s vorbeasc ? Does he dare (to) speak ? Dare ca verb modal este urmat: a) de infinitivul fr to dup forma invariabil dare (persoana a III-a singular sau Past Tense): I wonder whether he DARE come. M ntreb dac va ndrzni s vin. He felt that he DARENT try. i-a dat seama c n-are curajul s ncerce. b) de infinitivul cu to, dup participiul prezent sau dup persoana a III-a singular: Now he dares to attack me ! Acum ndrznete s m atace ! c) de infinitivul cu sau fr to dup forma de infinitiv a verbului, forma de Past Tense dared i participiul trecut: He wouldnt dare (to) tell me this. N-ar ndrzni s-mi spun acest lucru. He dared (to) write upon the subject. A avut curajul s scrie despre acea problem. He had never dared (to) ask me. Nu ndrznise niciodat s m ntrebe. Atenie ! Verbul dare este urmat de infinitivul cu to cnd este folosit ca verb principal: He dared me to compete with him. M-a provocat la ntrecere. nlocuii cuvintele scrise cursiv cu verbe potrivite ca sens i verbe noionale la infinitivul prezent sau perfect: Exemplu: We are obliged to do our homework every day. We have to do our homework every day. 1. 2. 3. 4. You are given permission to leave. Perhaps they have heard the news. He probably went to Oradea on business. Children are forbidden to play with matches.

5. She didnt forget about the appointment; it is impossible. 6. As you dont feel well its good for you to see a doctor.

Traducei n limba englez, folosind verbe modale potrivite ca sens: 1. Vrei s-mi aduci ziarul, te rog ? 2. S cumpr nite banane ? A prefera s cumpr nite portocale. 3. Vrei s semnai n registru, v rog ? 4. Putei s m ajutai la bagaje ? 5. Dorii o ceac de cafea ? Nu, mulumesc. A dori o ceac de ceai. 6. Ea nu tie ns englezete dar va ti aceast limb peste civa ani.